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Kettlebell Me trying to snatch with the 24

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Absolutely!
Sure, I'm keeping quite "strong" with imperfect form, but as for power generation? No. I'm nowhere near where I could be. Power matters more than anything in my combat sports world. Slow, heavy strength is great to have provided one also has fast power strength. It's fast power strength that one must have. Slow, heavy strength is great but you'll lose if that's all you've got!
Bullet point #4 from Anna, were talking about keeping your back strong, antifragile, for the long term. Important.
 
Swings, snatches and presses with the 24kg.
For your swing, try to load your hips more on the backswing. You can sit back more/deeper - without having your knees come overly forward, of course.

For your snatch, right hand needs elbow bend on the way up - left hand has this already. Left hand needs a little more umph from the hips to get to the right height for the catch at the top.

In general, you're a bit rounded in your upper back. Me, too, and when I deadlift, I use that to my advantage, but for the swing, I try to get nice and tall in my posture.

Keep up the good work!

-S-
 
Your timing is off. You're breaking at the hips while the bell is quite far in front. Play chicken with your groin and the bell.
 
I agree with Steve about loading your hips. Then spring forward throwing the bell away. Your snatches look smooth. Again more loading and fix at the top.

I go to Planet Fitness a couple of times a week for a change of scenery, some pullups, dips and a 2 mile run. They have kettlebells there. Everyone except my wife does them wrong. Too much squatting and lifting the bell with their shoulders. When I offer assistance, most are amazed with the difference between what they were doing and how it's supposed to be done.

Kozushi, my friend, what time do you go to bed? 10:30 at night?
 
I agree with Steve about loading your hips. Then spring forward throwing the bell away. Your snatches look smooth. Again more loading and fix at the top.

I go to Planet Fitness a couple of times a week for a change of scenery, some pullups, dips and a 2 mile run. They have kettlebells there. Everyone except my wife does them wrong. Too much squatting and lifting the bell with their shoulders. When I offer assistance, most are amazed with the difference between what they were doing and how it's supposed to be done.

Kozushi, my friend, what time do you go to bed? 10:30 at night?
I _think_ I now conceptually understand swings and I'm feeling an enormous difference. I used to think using the legs was kind of cheating. Now with me using my legs for all the power behind it, the move is a whole different thing entirely. It feels something like I'm doing some jumps. The upper body kind of gets pulled along as an afterthought. A much better move than what I was doing before. It's also a lot easier! S&S today only felt like a "practice" instead of a "workout". Interesting.

My sleeping schedule is weird. I sleep when I'm tired and can't stay up any longer which could be almost anytime, providing it's not during working hours! :)
 
Yeah, I don't think the snatch test is going to be a problem. If my legs are doing all the work then I don't expect much trouble. Can't wait to learn all the secrets at the three day course in Toronto some day!
 
If the kettlebell snatch is: 70% hips and legs, 20% shoulder, 10% arm and hand,

then what is it for the swing?
 
If the kettlebell snatch is: 70% hips and legs, 20% shoulder, 10% arm and hand,

then what is it for the swing?

Well, first a caveat... That's just something I said, not anything written anywhere. And what I meant was force production as a percentage to of total force produced to get the kettlebell from backswing to lockout in the snatch.

So in those same terms, I'd say for the swing, it's 100% hips and legs. This doesn't mean that nothing else is working -- there are a lot of other muscles working hard, including arms, shoulders, back, and abs. But as far as producing the force -- it's all knee extension and hip extension.
 
Well, first a caveat... That's just something I said, not anything written anywhere. And what I meant was force production as a percentage to of total force produced to get the kettlebell from backswing to lockout in the snatch.

So in those same terms, I'd say for the swing, it's 100% hips and legs. This doesn't mean that nothing else is working -- there are a lot of other muscles working hard, including arms, shoulders, back, and abs. But as far as producing the force -- it's all knee extension and hip extension.
Awesome! I'm already looking and feeling a lot better from the proper technique that is developing my body and mind correctly based on science.
 
It is very funny to see how you are just casually throwing the 24 kilo from one hand to the other. I have the same relationship with the 8 kilo :)

**
I have gotten a lot out of watching SFG instructors doing swings and snatches and then video recording my own snatches and swings. And also trying to be aware of the different cues. In her posts Anna C is often mentioning a lot of cues about how you should do the exercises and how it should feel.

**
I had an epiphany some months ago that I was doing my swing incorrectly. At that time I was following the S&S program. What I did was I just stopped doing S&S for some months and instead I practiced naked swings, and swings with very light weights. That way I could think while doing the swings. After that I think I improved and I got a lot more respect for the complexity of the swing and the snatch.

I also got an epiphany while watching some people at my local gym doing exercises and TGU. They did it without being aware of anything, and without focusing on correct technique. They did not look elegant at all. They just wanted to get it over with. That made me realize the importance of being in the exercise and constantly being aware of what you are doing, where you body is, and where your kettlebell is.

I think training is meditation. I think training is being aware of what is happening right now, and if it can be improved upon.

So I hope this can be of some help. I am not an instructor.
 
It is very funny to see how you are just casually throwing the 24 kilo from one hand to the other. I have the same relationship with the 8 kilo :)

**
I have gotten a lot out of watching SFG instructors doing swings and snatches and then video recording my own snatches and swings. And also trying to be aware of the different cues. In her posts Anna C is often mentioning a lot of cues about how you should do the exercises and how it should feel.

**
I had an epiphany some months ago that I was doing my swing incorrectly. At that time I was following the S&S program. What I did was I just stopped doing S&S for some months and instead I practiced naked swings, and swings with very light weights. That way I could think while doing the swings. After that I think I improved and I got a lot more respect for the complexity of the swing and the snatch.

I also got an epiphany while watching some people at my local gym doing exercises and TGU. They did it without being aware of anything, and without focusing on correct technique. They did not look elegant at all. They just wanted to get it over with. That made me realize the importance of being in the exercise and constantly being aware of what you are doing, where you body is, and where your kettlebell is.

I think training is meditation. I think training is being aware of what is happening right now, and if it can be improved upon.

So I hope this can be of some help. I am not an instructor.

I agree! And that is really the ”practise, don’t workout” mentality and mindset Pavel does emphasize. I really finally learned the proper attitude when I read the revised edition of the book.

But while it maybe good to pattern the swing with light/no weight, heavy weight is also instructive, I think. You have to do certain things right to get the bell moving. For example, by moving from 32 to 36, I noticed my balance got better. Feels like my calves and ankles got more active with the swing at that point, since the force from the ground up got bigger. Not an expert, just how I feel ?
 
Here is my latest form for swings with the 32kg. The camera angle makes it look like the swings aren't coming to my shoulders, but they are. Bad camera angle, sorry.
 
Looking good!

Start with the kettlebell a bit farther out in front, and tip it towards you ... get tight, then hike aggressively. See the video in @Nacho's post above, by SF TL Brian Myers "Kettlebell Swing Errors and How To Fix Them". Set up like that.

Focus on projecting power forward, as if you're going to let the bell go at the top of the swing, you want it to go flying into the wall in front of you as hard as possible. ( But don't actually let it go :) )

Hold the plank TIGHT until the kettlebell is halfway down. Your standing position goes soft as soon as the bell's descent starts (a common thing, don't ask me why it matters, but trust me that it does. Besides, it looks better if you keep the crisp plank position. Haha). You want a good tight plank, then hinge quickly so you beat the kettlebell to the back of the backswing. Sit back in the hips as you move to the hinge position.

Last, try to make the power/exertion happen earlier - right out of the backswing, and especially as the bell is coming through your legs. Forceful exhale with this hardest part of the effort. Here's my best example. See how I put all the work in up front, in the first part of the swing? A forceful, explosive effort. By the time the kettlebell is halfway up, I just let it float and enjoy the float, while holding the vertical plank.
 
Looking good!

Start with the kettlebell a bit farther out in front, and tip it towards you ... get tight, then hike aggressively. See the video in @Nacho's post above, by SF TL Brian Myers "Kettlebell Swing Errors and How To Fix Them". Set up like that.

Focus on projecting power forward, as if you're going to let the bell go at the top of the swing, you want it to go flying into the wall in front of you as hard as possible. ( But don't actually let it go :) )

Hold the plank TIGHT until the kettlebell is halfway down. Your standing position goes soft as soon as the bell's descent starts (a common thing, don't ask me why it matters, but trust me that it does. Besides, it looks better if you keep the crisp plank position. Haha). You want a good tight plank, then hinge quickly so you beat the kettlebell to the back of the backswing. Sit back in the hips as you move to the hinge position.

Last, try to make the power/exertion happen earlier - right out of the backswing, and especially as the bell is coming through your legs. Forceful exhale with this hardest part of the effort. Here's my best example. See how I put all the work in up front, in the first part of the swing? A forceful, explosive effort. By the time the kettlebell is halfway up, I just let it float and enjoy the float, while holding the vertical plank.

Honestly, the best movements that adamantly required my getting the hip hinge power drive right were (in descending order):

1. Sandbag hike back then clean to shoulder: It is impossible for me to ballistically clean a 100+ lb sandbag this way without relying 100% on pushing my feet through the floor and maximally driving my hips.
2. Kettlebell snatch: Ditto, to have a heavy bell continue moving up without a high pull or a final press to lockout.
3. Kettlebell swing: A distant third... too easy to get blunted by momentum and/or upper body recruitment.

I suspect other ballistic movements might get ahead of swings as well... heavy double cleans and trap bar jumps, for example.
 
What Anna said, and it looks like your legs are short of full extension, 170 degrees instead of a planked 180, you seem to be tossing your belt buckle at the bell, which causes some lean back. Full leg extension and tilt belt buckle upward. This vid by Pavel Macek will help.
Notice #1 from his 1-2-3-4 count, then back to #4 to load your catapult/trebuchet for next shot.



Also, stand with your back against a wall, step forward one foot length, take a swing stance, push your rump back into the wall while maintaining balance and vertical shin angle. Increase distance from wall with practice.
 
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